AGAIN A KING IN BAGDAD

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 48, 25 August 1921, Page 6

AGAIN A KING IN BAGDAD

There is once more a King in Bagdad. When the British Com-mander-in-Chief entered the historic city during the war; his proclamation is said to have included a promise that the Arabs should again secure "the glory of a Crown." In the couple of years that followed the promise seemed '.to have been forgotten. In Mesopotamia there grew up a British bureaucracy responsible to no one in particular, but governed (according to Colonel Lawrence) from the empty space that separates the India Office from the War Office; and the bureaucratisation of the country proceeded steadily and stealthily until an Arab explosion drew attention to what was going on, and precipitated the remedy. Aghast at the expense of holding down revolt with bayonets, the British Government sent Sir Percy Cox back to Mesopotamia with a mission to set up a native Arab administration; and the policy of electing a King by vote of the people resulted in the acceptance of the Emir Feisul, Britain's Arab ally in the Palestinian operations. Now comes the test question .• Will the non-cohesive Arab tribes", including those that rebelled lately against the official yoke, accept any central government, even though its King is of Arab blood and election'? If anyone can unify the Arabian tribes, surely he is Feisul; and if the new Kingship succeeds, in British alliance, the task of holding in check the Turks and Kurds should be much simplified. But if Arab anarchy returns, the! Middle Eaat problem may become insoluble.